Internalizing our faith is one of the decisive elements for God’s grace to unfold abundantly in our lives.
Faith must be internalized so that it consists of more than just outward gestures and actions—not to detract from the importance and value of the latter—but is also deeply rooted in our hearts. In this way, we forge a rich interior life in union with God, an interior life that is always present and growing.
God offers us various ways of internalization.
First, we must assimilate the Word of God more deeply. Scripture says of Mary that she pondered the Word in her heart (cf. Lk 2:19). To do so, we must read the Word of God daily. It is our spiritual nourishment that enlightens our understanding and illuminates our hearts (Psalm 119:105).
The Word of the Lord is a supernatural light that comes directly from Him. It is a light that wants to penetrate us in order to bear fruit. This light also reaches our natural understanding, which necessarily depends on supernatural light when it comes to the things of God. When the understanding is open, a wonderful union is produced between divine wisdom and natural reason. The latter comes also from God, but was obscured by original sin.
Our soul rejoices in the truth because its dignity and beauty are displayed only in conformity with it. But we also know the warning in Sacred Scripture that the Word can fall on barren ground; that the devil tries to steal it; that its roots may not be deep enough; and that it can be choked by persecution for the Word’s sake, as well as by the cares of everyday life (cf. Mt 13:3-8, 18-23).
This is why we must listen to and read the Word of God again and again, even if we think we know certain passages quite well. Since it is the Word of God, it has the power to penetrate us more deeply and enlighten us so that we may understand it better.
In this sense, it is important to understand that we must learn to interpret reality based on the Word of God. After all, the Word of God is not merely human words seeking to understand and describe reality.
Consider, for instance, the following excerpt from Psalm 89 (vv. 21, 24, 26):
“My hand shall ever abide with him,
my arm also shall strengthen him.
My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,
and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
He shall cry to me, ‘Thou art my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’”
We could read this text and rejoice in God’s promises to King David for a moment, then lose ourselves in our daily tasks. However, if we do so, the Word will not provide us with the security, confidence, and closeness it offers. If a “storm” comes (cf. Mt 7:26-27), these words will not be sufficiently present in our minds because they will not have penetrated our souls deeply enough.
It’s different when we move the Word in our hearts as our Mother Mary did. That means we meditate on it, pray with it, and enter into dialogue with God . . . Then, the holy certainty that God always sustains and strengthens us, no matter how great the tribulation, will take root in us. We will no longer believe only because we have heard it; the Word will shape us inwardly. When necessity and seemingly insurmountable situations come upon us, we will cling to the Word, not letting ourselves be carried away by the current. We will know and experience that God accompanies us in His faithfulness (cf. Mt 7:24-25). Together with David, mentioned in this psalm, we will be able to exclaim, ‘Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
It is precisely this phrase that leads us to a greater depth. It is the love of our divine Father that surrounds us—a Father who is always there for us, knows us, and accompanies us through all situations in life. Thus, as the soul internalizes the Word of God, it awakens, and the Word—and therefore the Lord Himself—dwells in us.
Meditation on the reading of the day: https://en.elijamission.net/2022/12/6/
